The present invention relates to automotive vehicle tailgates, and more specifically, to a tailgate having an integrated retractable load starter, step assist, and bed extender.
In the use of automotive vehicles, and particularly pickup trucks, it is often desired to move heavy and awkward loads into the cargo bed of the vehicle. Although these vehicles are designed to transport such loads, loading and unloading such cargo can be quite difficult. It is beneficial when loading cargo to have an extended surface upon which to start the load into the bed, especially when the open tailgate is not sufficient in length. In turn, having an operator in the cargo bed of the vehicle is beneficial for facilitating loading and unloading cargo, however, getting the operator into the cargo bed can be problematic due to the height of the bed. These vehicles are also limited in cargo carrying capacity, where it is often the case that the operator desires to carry objects that extend beyond the length of the bed. Load starters, step assists, and bed extenders have been employed in the past to ease loading, operator entry into the cargo bed, and to extend the usable length of the bed, however, they have been separate and external cumbersome devices that also aesthetically change the appearance of the vehicle.
It is therefore desired to have a retractable load starter, internal with respect to the tailgate, that could be used to facilitate getting the load into the bed. It is also desired to have a retractable step assist, internal with respect to the tailgate, that could be used when needed for operator""s ease of entry into and from the cargo bed. Furthermore, it is desired to have a retractable bed extender, internal with respect to the tailgate, that could be used for supporting and containing loads that extend beyond the normal cargo bed area. It is also desired that the load starter, step assist, and bed extender be simple to use, and not change the appearance of the vehicle. As such, it is desired to have a tailgate that not only integrates a load starter, step assist, and bed extender, but is also retractable and internal with respect to the tailgate.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle having a tailgate with a load starter, step assist, and bed extender that overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art.
It is a feature of the present invention that the tailgate has a structure which is internal with respect thereto and accomplishes the functions of a load starter, step assist, and bed extender.
Accordingly, the present invention advantageously provides an integrated tailgate for a vehicle having a planar cargo bed, the tailgate operable between a closed vertical position and an open horizontal position, and a structure slideably received by the tailgate extendable to a substantially horizontal position when the tailgate is in the open position, whereat the structure is rotateably operable between the horizontal position, an upwardly rotated substantially vertical position perpendicular to the open tailgate, and a downwardly rotated position a predetermined degree between zero and ninety degrees, thereby integrating the multiple purposes of a load starter, bed extender, and step assist, respectively.
These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of a pickup truck with an integrated vehicle tailgate in the open position according to the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view of the combination load starter, step assist, and bed extender structure in an extended horizontal load starter position according to the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view of the combination load starter, step assist, and bed extender structure in a vertical bed extender position according to the present invention; and
FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view of the combination load starter, step assist, and bed extender structure in a vertical bed extender position according to the present invention.